I plan to use my iPad Mini running TomTom GPS while traveling in France. How large a data bundle will I need to handle driving 4 hours a day for 10 days?

You don't need any "data bundle" to use Turn By Turn GPS navigation if by "data bundle" you mean an iPad data plan with a local carrier. GPS works off GPS satellites not cellular networks.

The GPS can use the cell phone towers to speed up initial locking on to the GPS satellites but it is not required. The towers only provide an estimate of where the iPad is so that less time is required to identify the correct satellites. Once the GPS satellites are identified and in clear view the cell towers are no longer used.

But without the tower information the iPad GPS works just like the millions of gps systems like Garmin, etc. They don't use cell towers just as your iPad does not need to use cell towers.

So, no data plan is required to use GPS on the iPad for initial GPS lock on nor for continued operation.

Hey Gary,

I'm trying to find information about buing a Nano SIM for the iPad mini for our trip to France next month, and your query came up.

I don't know when you're planning on going to France, if you've left yet, where you're going, or how you plan to get data for your iPad, but I'd be appreciative if you could let me know where you're getting your SIM, how much yoy're paying, and any other info you care to share.

In response to your question: the GPS may use no Data, per se, but if you are running any navigation apps, they certainly do.

Sherry

If he is using the TomTom App, that downloads all of its maps to the iPad and does not require use of any cell data.

shefra wrote:

Hey Gary,

I'm trying to find information about buing a Nano SIM for the iPad mini for our trip to France next month, and your query came up.

I don't know when you're planning on going to France, if you've left yet, where you're going, or how you plan to get data for your iPad, but I'd be appreciative if you could let me know where you're getting your SIM, how much yoy're paying, and any other info you care to share.

In response to your question: the GPS may use no Data, per se, but if you are running any navigation apps, they certainly do.

Sherry

Navigation apps do not use data except if you set up real time traffic conditions, weather, and real time notices about gas prices etc. Turn-by-turn navigation does not use data.

Hello Gary

I am looking for a similar answer as pondering whether to purchase a tomtom or an ipad mini with a UK sim card. I will be hoping to use it for both travel in the UK and France/Europe, would appreciate it if you have managed this already? Please let us all know.

BobTheFisherman wrote:

Navigation apps do not use data except if you set up real time traffic conditions, weather, and real time notices about gas prices etc. Turn-by-turn navigation does not use data.

That's too broad a statement. it depends on the navigation app. Some download the maps of surrounding territory incrementally as you go for display purposes and to help you find a new route if you stray off the planned path. This cuts down on the storage burden of the app. Some offer preloading maps as an option but do not do it by default.

Deggie says TomTom apps don't; I haven't tried them, so I can't say. Certainly the TomTom hardware I have tried uses preloaded maps.

Where did I say that TomTom does not download all the maps? I said, "If he is using the TomTom App, that downloads all of its maps to the iPad and does not require use of any cell data."

Sorry, deggie. I re-edited the first paragraph so many times that I lost the sense of the seond one. I meant to say "Deggie says TomTom apps don't download incrementally" (meaning they do preload maps). I meant mild agreement, not disagreement.